Work-clamp.



J. KIEWICZ.

WORK CLAMP. APPLICATION FILED MAR- I. 1916.

1 ,1 97,639. Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l. F1 g. 1.

5 7 Inventor.

John Kiewic-s' Altys Umr ED. S ATE v JOHN KIEWICZ, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG'NOR TO THE REECE BUTTON HOLE MACHINE COMPANY, 013 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, .A CORPORATION OF MAINE. I

WORK-CLAMP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

7 Application filed March 1, 1916. Serial No. 81,529.

in its action, and which has other advantages, all as will be more fullyhereinafter set forth.

'hile my improved work clamp is capable of use with sewing machines of various types, it is particularly applicable to sewing machines of the buttonhole type, and I have, therefore, shown it herein as it would be embodied in a buttonhole sewing machine.

I will first describe a selected embodiment of my invention and will then point out the novel features thereof in the appended claims.

Figure l is a side viewof a portiorrof a buttonhole sewing machine equipped with my improved work clamp; Fig. 2 is a side view of the work clamp looking from the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 1 with the bearing for the shaft omitted Fig. 3 is a front view; Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the work clamp removedfrom the machine; Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5, Fig. 7; Fig.

6 is abottom view of the clamp plate; Fig.

7 is a section on the line -77, Fig. 5.

1 have shown at 1 the portion of a butclamp plate 7 which is mounted on the bed frame 5 and which carries the work-clamp? ing members between which the work is clamped. This clamp plate 7 is herein shown as mounted for reciprocating movement toward and from the front of the machine to give the work a feeding movement during the formation of the edge stitches at the side of the buttonhole,and is also capable ofmovement laterally so "as to pro vide for barring stitches at the end of the buttonhole, and also so as to permit the stitches to be formed around the eye end of the buttonhole. The clamp plate is shown as slidably mounted in ways 8 formed in the bed frame 5 and is given its workfeeding movement by the feed cam 360 as usual in buttonhole sewing machines. This clamp plate 7 is provided with an opening 9 through which the stitching mechanism operates, 5 a U The under work-clamp ng member comprises two members 10 and 11 in the, form 'of plates or leaves that are situated at each ,side of the opening 9 and are provided with roughened upper work-engaging surfaces.

The upper work-clamping members are shown at 12 and 13, respectively, they having any suitable or usual construction and being pivotally mounted on arms 14 and 15 which are arranged for vertical movement, as usual in work clamps, thereby providing for moving the upper work-clamping members 12 and 13 toward and from the under "members 10 and 11. The arms l-l and 15 which sustain the upper members 12 and 13 are rigidly secured to blocks or heads 16 and 17 which are loosely pivoted on a rock-- shaft 18 that is journaled in suitable bearings'19 carried by the clamp plate 7 These heads or blocks 16 and 17 are independent from each other and are independently pivoted on the rock-shaft 18. There is, however, a connection between said blocks so that when the head or block 17 is rocked in a direction to depress the arm 15., the other block 16 will be correspondingly operated, so that both of the upper workclamping members 12 and 13 can be clamped against the work by turning the block 17 about the shaft 18. This connection is herein shown as a lip or extension 21'on the block 17 which is situated infront of the rocksha-ft 18 and which overlies a portion 22 on the block 16'. WVith this construction the turning of the block 17 in a direction to bring the clamping member '13 into workclamping position will operate to give the block 16a similar movement. The block 16 is acted upon by a spring-23 which is Y- received in a recess 24 formed in the underside thereof and which operates to elevate the work clamp 12. The turning movement of the'block 16 due-.tothe s'pring-23 acts,

1'5 -work-clamping' element 13.

through 'the portions-22, 21 to raise the The under Work-clamping members 10 and 11- are provided with heads 50 at their -membe'rs. 53 are hold-down members that are secured to the clamp plate 7 and that overlie the shanks of the lower work-clamp ,1 ing members 10 and 11, as shown in Fig. 5, thereby assisting in holding them in proper position. These hold-down members 53 have associated therewith springs 54 which act against the under clamping members and tend to keep them in the position shown in Fig. 4, but. permits said members to be I separated slightly for the purpose of stretching the cloth after it is clamped, as is usual in bottonhole sewingv machines. separating or spreading the clamping members the blocks 16 and. 17 are provided with lugs 540 which are acted upon by a suitable cam that tends to separate them slightly at the proper time to spread the cloth.

The block 17 is formed with an upwardlydirected arm which is adapted to be en- "gaged by an arm 26 fast on the rock-shaft 18 so that movement of the arm 26 toward the front of the machine will operate through the arm 25 to turn the block 17 and depress the work-clamping element 13 1nto 1 work-clamping position, and because of the I connection between the blocks 17 and 16,

this movement is transmitted to the other work-clamping element 12. The arm 25 is herein shown as provided with an adjusting screw 27 which has direct engagement with the arm 26, this screw beingprovided to effeet any necessary adjustment of the parts to accommodate work of different thickness. j Means are provided whereby the arm 26 ;;willbe operated either by hand or automatically by the machine. The hand mech-v anism comprises. a lever 28 fast on a stud stitching operation. 7 have provided an actuatinglever 33 which For thus 29 which is journale'd in an arm or bra ket 30 rising from the clamp plate -7. This stud has thereon a head 31 provided with a cam surface 32 that is adapted to be brought against the back side of the arm 26 as the for automatically operating the work clamps to clamp the work at the beginning'of the For this purpose, I

is pivoted to the frame at 34 and is provided with 'a finger 35 that is adapted to engage the upper end 36 of the arm 26 as the lever 33 is rocked. This lever 33 may be actuated at the proper time by any suitable means which is operating in'proper timed relation with the other parts of the sewing machine. In the construction herein shown the lever 33 is actuated by a cam 350 which is mounted on a rotating element 360 which may be the usual feed cam of the sewin machine by which the work is given its feecf ing movement, this'cam 350 operating as it moves in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 1, against the lower. end of the lever 33, thereby to turn said lever about its pivot. in a direction to carry the finger 35 against the arm 26. The. cam 350 is so positioned on the element 360 that when the sewing inachine is set in operation the lever 33 will be actuated to depress the workclamping .elements 12 and 13 against the work. The lever 33 is acted upon by a spring 37 which tends to, return it to normal position after 'the cam 350 has passed from under the lower end of the lever 33. Means have also been provided for locking the work-clamping elements closed against the work after they have been thus brought into workclamping position, and for releasing the locking element at the end of the stitching operation, thereby permitting the clamps to be raised from the work. For this purpose I have provided a locking latch 38 which is pivotally mounted at 39 on the bracket 30 and which is adaptedto drop in behind the shoulder 40 on the lever 26 when the latter has been moved forwardly into workclamping position, as shown in Fig. 2. This locking latch 38 is acted upon by a spring 41 which automatically moves it into operative position when the lever 26 is moved forwardly. automatically releasing the lockinglatch '38 at the em; of the stitching operation. This .is herein accomplished by providing the locking latch with an arm 42 extending up-' -\wardly therefrom and which is provided Means are also provided for f with a cam projection 43 which is engaged 1 shown.

When the machine is stopped at the end of the stitching operation, the parts come to rest in the position shown in Fig. 1. When the machine is started, the initial movement of the, member 360 will causethe cam 350 to operate the lever 33, thereby to cause the work-clamping members 12 and 13 to be depressed into operative engagement with the work, and as they are thus depressed the locking latch 38 will automatically swing into engagement with the shoulder 40 and thus lock the work clamps closed, as stated above. After the work is thus clamped the stitch-forming mechanism is set inoperation as usual in buttonhole sewing Inachines, and the clamp plate 7 with the work clamps thereon is given'a feeding movement to the right, Fig. 1, to feed the work, this feeding movement being derived from any suitable mechanism, such, for instance, as the feed cam 360. During this feeding movement of the clamp plate the arm 42 with its cam projection 4:3 is carried away from the end of the lever 33 and the cam 350 will preferably be so shaped as to hold. the end of the leverdepressed until after the work clamp has been moved forwardly sufliciently to carry the arm 42 clear of said lever. After the cam 350 has passed under the lever 33, it will returnto the position shown in Fig. 1. -When the stitching on one side of the buttonhole has been completed, the clamp plate is given a reverse feeding movement toward the left, Fig. '1, to restore the parts to the position shown in said figure.

Just as the stitching on a buttonhole is completed, the camprojection 43 on the arm 42- comes into engagement with the cam extension 44 on the arm 33, thereby forcing the arm 42 laterally and releasing the latch 38 from the shoulder 40. As soon as the latch is thus released from the shoulder 4:0, the spring 23 operates to raise the work clamp.

While I have illustrated herein a selected embodiment of my invention, I do not Wish to be limited to the constructional features I claim: W 1. In a work clamp for sewlng machines, the combination with a clamp plate, of a rock-shaft journaled thereon, two work clamping members loosely and independently pivoted on said rock-shaft, means for turning the rock-shaft, a connection between said rock-shaft'and one of the Work-clamping members by which turning movement of said shaft depresses said work-clamping member into work-clamping position, and means to transmit such movement of the lat- 'ter work-clamping member to the other clamping member.

2. In a work clamp for sewing machines, the combination with aclamp'plate, of a rock-shaft journaled thereon, two blocks loosely and independently pivoted on said rock-shaft, a work-clamping member-carried by each block, means for turning the rockshaft, a connection between said rock-shaft and one block by which turning movement of the rock-shaft depresses the work-cla'mping member carried by said block, and means to transmit such movement of said latter block to the other block.

M 3. In a work clamp for sewing machines, the combination with a clamp plate, of a r'oclt shaft journaled thereon,'two blocks pivot'ally but independently mounted on said rocleshaft, a work-clamping member carried 1 by each block, a connection between the rock shaft andon'e block by which turning moven'i-ent of therock-shaft depresses the corresponding work-clamping member into workclamping position, said block having a portion overlapping the other block whereby the work-clamping movement of the first block is transmitted to the other block.

4. In a work clamp for sewing machines,

the combination with a clamp plate, of a rock-shaft journaled thereon, two workclamping members loosely but independently pivoted on said rock-shaft, an arm rigid with one ofsaid work-clamping members, an arm fast on therock-shaft and adapted to engage thefirst-named arm, means to actuate the arm of the rock-shaft thereby to depress the last-named work-clamping member into work-clamping position,-and means to transmit said work-clamping movement of said member to the other member.

, 5. In a work clamp for sewing machines, the combination with a clamp plate-,of a rock-shaft. j'ournaled thereon, two blocks loosely but independently pivoted on the rock-shaft, a work-clamping member carried by each block, an arm rigid with one block, an arm fast on the rock-shaftand adapted to engage the first-named" arm, means to actuate the arm on the rock-shaft'thereby to depress .one of the work-clamping members into workclamping position, and means to transmit the work-clamping"movement of said member to the other work-clamping I loosely but independently pivoted on the rock-shaft, a Work-clamping member carried by each block,,one of said blocksihavlng an extension overlying a portion of the other block and also'having an arm rigid there- 1 with, an arm fast on the rock-shaft and adapted to engage the first-named arm,and

means to actuate the arm on the rock-shaft thereby to de ress the work-clamping members into wor -elampin position.

7. In a work clamp or sewing machines, the combination with a clamp plate, of workelamp1ng members movably mounted thereon, a latch for holding the work-clamping members in work-clamping position, and a combined clamp-actuating and latch-releasing member adapted in one position to move the work-clamping members into workclam ing position and in another position to re ease the latch to unelamp the workclamping members.

8. In a work clamp for sewing machines, the combination with a clamp plate, of a rock-shaft journaled thereon, two workelamping members mounted on the rockshaft, an arm fast on the rock-shaft by which it may be turned thereby to depress the work-clamping members into workelamping position, a latch for engaging said arm automatically thereby to loc the work clam in work'engaging position and a combined clam -actuating and latch-releasing member a apted in one position to engage the arm on the rock-shaft and carry the work clamps into work-clamping positlon and in another position to release the latch so as to unlock the work-clamping member.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame, of a clamp plate movably mounted thereon, a rock-shaftrjournaled on said clamp late, work-clamping means mounted on t e rock-shaft, an arm fast on the rock-shaft by which the latter may be turned to depress the work clam s into workclamping position, a locking atch for engaging said arm to lock the work clamps in work-clamping position and a combined clamp-actuating and latch-releasing member movably mounted on the frame an adapted in one position to engage the arm on the rock-shaft thereby to depress the work clamps into work-clamping position and in another position to engage the latch and release the work clamp.

10. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising movable work-clamping members, a cam member for movin the work-clamping means and frame re ative to each other, a clamp-actuating member operated by the cam member for moving the work-clamping members into work-clamping position, and a latch to hold said work-clamping members in such position, said clamp-actuatin member operating to release the latch during the relative movement between the work-clamping means and said frame.

11.-In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising movable work-clamping members, a cam member for moving the work-clamping means relative to said frame, a clamp-actuating member operated by sald cam member for moving the work-clamping means into work-clamping position, and a latch to hold said work-clamping members in such position, said clamp-actuating member operating to release the latch during the movement of the work-clamping means.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising movable work-clamping members, a cam member for moving the work-clamping means and frame relative to each other, a lever pivoted to the frame and actuated by said cam member to move the work-clamping members into work-clamping osition, and a latch to hold said work-c amping members in such position, said lever being shaped to engage and release the latch during the relative movement of the workclamping means and frame.

13. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, of a clamp plate, a rock-shaft journaled thereon, two work-clamping members loosely but independently pivoted on said rock shaft, a connection between said rock shaft and one of the work-clamping members by which turning movement of said shaft depresses said work-clamping member into work-clamping position, means to transmit such movement of the latter workclamping member to the other work-clamping member, a cam member for moving the clamp late and frame relative to each other, and a ever pivoted to the frame and actuated by said cam member, said lever turning the rock-shaft thereby ,to move the workclamping members into operative osition.

14. In a sewing machine, the com ination with a frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising movable work-clamping members, a cam member for moving the work-clamping means and frame relative to each other first in one direction and then the other, a clampactuating member operated by the cam member for moving the work-clamping members into work-clamping position, and a latch to hold said work-clamping members in such position, said clamp-actuating member operating to release the latch during the relative movement between the work-clamping means and frame in the latter direction.

15. In a sewing machine, the combination with a frame carrying stitch-forming mechanism, of work-clamping means comprising movable work-clamping members, means to move the work-clamping means and frame relative to each other first in one direction and then in another, a clamp-actuating member engaging and releasing the latch member, means to operate said clzimp-actuduring said relative movement in the latter ating member to clamp the Work-clamping direction. 10 membersa'gainst the work at the beginning In testimony whereof I have signed my of the stitching operation, and a latch'to name to this specification.

hold. sfaid Work-clamping members in'tneir operative position, said clamp-actuating JOHN KIEWIGZ. 

